274 [=276]

[274]

[Letters Historical and Galant. Vol. 5.]

put him to death as quietly as they could. However he was soon rid of his fears, and upon his representing that he could
not live in the Calote, they offered to put him with Father Brandebourg of Cleves, a Capuchin of great Distinction,
who had been all in all with the Lucen Dowager of Spain, and was put in the Bastille for reasons of State and Politicks.
He was the only person permitted to have Books, so they thought the Abbot would be charmed to have the use of his Library;
But as he never lost the design he had in view, and foresaw he should never be able to execute it there, he told the Gover
nor, that as the Capuchin expected to be used as a Prince, and took great Airs upon him, he was afraid he never should
Sympathize with him, and would be better pleased to be put with some young Protestant Lad, if it might be done
in order to convert him as he had the Baron de Peken. He had his reasons for saying this, and for some time
before, endeavoured to travel all the Towers of the Bastille, to try if he could meet with one Grandville, that he had
heard talking with the four prisoners with whom he had commerce by means of the Chimney, and was imprisoned because
that being a Protestant, and a Refugee for a long time in England, he was such a fool as to take a Journey to Paris.
The Abbot a long time before wished to get to him, knowing him to be a good Lad, and willing enough to make his Es-
cape. The Governor, who did not penetrate his views, thinking him solely animated with Zeal for the Propagation
of the Faith, made no scruple in giving him Grandville for a Companion, and begg'd him to ddo all he could to make
him a good Catholick. The Abbot was charmed with his new Comrade, whom he found much more teachable in means
of Evasion, than points of Controversy. They resolved to act in Concert for procuring their Liberty, took measures for
it, and just at that time the Abbot had two Companions more assigned him. This Increase of Company gave him con
cern at first, but what was his Joy when he saw that one of those new Companions, was one of his four Chimney neighbours,
and his name the Chevalier de Soulange. However he shewed none before his Keepers; but as soon as they were
gone, and had locked all the Doors, Soulange and he embraced tenderly, and after each had answered for his
Comrade, the Conversation became general. They held a Council of four to consider of ways and means to make
their Escape, and the Abbot took care to make sure of his Companions, by the strongest Oaths: he made them lay
their hand on the Gospels, and as he had no book, Supplyed it, by writing texts of Scripture, on little bits of Paper he
had saved off of the Corks of the bottles, or tore from the walls of the Room; he made use of straws for writing and
with soot made a kind of Ink. After writing in this manner several passages of the Gospel, he made his Comrades
swear by them; and as they were to make good use of the time they had to be together, and not to wait till they should
be parted. The Abbot determined to make use of his Reserve, and told them he had a little file, which he had always
carefully concealed, and had escaped the Vigilance of his Searchers. It was concluded that with that little tool they should
file the grate of the Window, and get down by a Ladder of Ropes into the Ditch. The Abbot had preserved some of
the Ropes that he and Peken had spun, they spun them anew, and every one put his hand to the Work to finish
it the Sooner. but he was afraid that what had happened the Workmen of Babel would have been their fate,
and that not by the difference of Tongues but by that opinions. And they could never be brought to agree about
the manner of Escaping. Every day they had new Disputes. The Abbot had a mind after filing the grate to get
down into the Ditch and so up again. The others were of opinion to pass by the half moon in the Ditch, which
lies outside the Gate, and nothing but Difficulties in all these schemes. A President was named to try to
make them agree, but 'twas not in his power, and it was at last resolved, that when once they got down into the
Ditch, each should make his escape what way he pleased. It was dangerous notwithstanding, for fear that those
that should miss making it, might bring the rest into trouble; And the Abbot who thought his own way sure lost a great
deal by that Step. However, matters were settled, and the day being fixed or rather the night for the Escape, they
raised the grate as soon as they thought all was quiet, and for fear the lower Chambers might see their bodies sus
pended in the Air, they took care to let down a great blanket, which formed a Cloud before the Windows, and
prevented their descent from being discovered; and as they were to put out a machine to hinder the Cords from
touching the wall, to accustom the Sentinels to it, some days before he had fixed a kind of a Dial to the End
of a stick, which reach'd into the Court three or four feet farther than the Window. All these Precautions
being taken, and after daubing the Cord black that it might be the less easily discovered, the Abbot ask'd leave
of his Comrades to go down first, promising to stay in the ditch and receive the Machines they were to throw
out to him, and which every one was to make use of as he pleased. He was also to let them know by a Signal,
the Moment that the Sentinel should have his back to them, that they might make their use of it, and this Signal
was a Cord tyed to the Window, which by pulling it in a different manner was to acquaint them when they